Forschungsmethoden und Erkenntnispotential : Natur- und Sozialwissenschaften im Vergleich

All empirical sciences must be able to observe and measure their objects of cognition. In many natural sciences, steady progress in research technology has led to cumulative advances in scientific knowledge. Due to the nature of social phenomena, technical artifacts and procedures cannot significantly improve scientific observation and measurement in the social sciences. Here scientific progress follows from advances in data evaluation and interpretation rather than from increases in observation and measurement. It is in the evaluation phase of the research process that technology, in the form of the modern computer, has become important for social science development. Since the computer is used for data analysis also in the natural sciences, this particular research technology bridges the methodological divide between natural and social sciences, playing a similarly important role in both.